


epilogue

by orphan_account



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: :-), Alternate Universe - College/University, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Swearing, but its all good, changbin hurts hyunjins feelings accidentally, i'm proud of this!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 05:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16033829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: hyunjin visits changbin at college, chaos ensues





	epilogue

**Author's Note:**

> let's get it boys!!!! final part to my lil changjin series. perhaps i'll do more with other pairings another time.
> 
>  
> 
> enjoy <3

The first months of unfamiliarity are lonely and isolating. No matter how many times that new coffee shop in the mall sees you sitting in it, it will always feel strange walking in to it. 

 

It’s late, both in the day and in the year. Changbin’s been at university long enough that he can’t remember what high school felt like. He does remember his old uniform, and his rambunctious friends that never let him forget his height and the disadvantages that they were certain came along with it. Another thing -

 

His phone buzzes against the fake wooden table, moving in a semicircle with the force of the vibrations. 

 

**6:57 PM ; HYUNJIN**

 

_ hows the city treating you today college boy _

 

He smiles from the corner of his dry lips, but hesitates in the midst of typing his reply. He long forwent the notion that texting back right away seemed “desperate” and instead relished in the concept that if you have the time to talk, why not just text back then and there? His hesitation was brought on by the sudden remembrance that there was someone sitting behind him, and if his paranoia taught him one thing, it was that if you think someone is staring at your phone … they definitely are.

 

Picking up his phone, he cradled it closer to his chest, neck bent down at an awkward angle.

 

**6:59 PM ; CHANGBIN**

 

_ fine, as usual. how’s the suburbs treating you, pretty boy? _

 

**7:00 PM ; HYUNJIN**

 

_ Distant. I think it’s caught on that I’d rather be in the city _

 

**7:03 PM ; CHANGBIN**

 

_ Come visit! Anytime. I won’t rat you out.  _

 

Changbin watched as the read receipts came on, and as the dreaded typing bubble flashed on the screen and then subsequently disappeared in the blink of a tired eye. Many times had the offer of visitation flown up in the air, but not once had it gone into action. The only contact Changbin had had with his old friends was over their groupchat, and even then it was starting to slow down. He felt lost. The only friends he had come out of his shell for were trapped in his past, and he was aging quicker than he imagined he would. In one timeline he could see himself being born just a year later and being able to spend the remaining days of high school with his friends doing the same.

 

His heart felt a bit heavier in his chest, picturing all the things he could’ve done but just left himself out of because of his insecurities. Robbed. Perhaps he felt he had robbed himself of another story.

 

**7:05 PM ; HYUNJIN**

 

_ okay :-) i’ll see you when i see you _

  
  


-

 

Back in the suburbs, it was 6:30 am the next day. Hyunjin slept for maybe two hours at best, but had a hard enough time getting to sleep in the first place - so he spent most of his waking hours watching his favourite parts from  _ Train to Busan _ . When the sun offered it’s light to Hyunjin’s room, he walked to his wardrobe to begin to put on his uniform. This year he’d received a new one, seeing as too many parts from the old ensemble had mysteriously gone missing.

 

Showing up on the first day of senior year with a crisp white dress shirt really threw Jisung through a loop. He had held a “magnifying glass” up to Hyunjin’s chest and hummed skeptically. “No signs of any stains or rips, boys! We’ve got a new man on our hands.”

 

“New year, new me.” Hyunjin said, shooting finger guns towards Jeongin who retorted by pulling out an imaginary shot gun and pretending to load it. Seungmin grabbed his sleeve in haste and made quick work in cuffing the sleeves, doing up the small button at the bottom of the hem. “Only you would destroy your uniform so badly that you need to get a new one.” He said, but there was no malice to it. Hyunjin smiled at him and he chuckled.

 

By lunchtime, the lapel on one side had a sauce stain on it.

 

After a good two or three dry cleaners visits, Hyunjin’s uniform was good as new and had been that way ever since.

 

Back to today. Hyunjin’s glare towards his pants and socks was cold and calculating. Hanging neatly on the back of his closet door, probably collecting dust the longer he stood looking at them.

 

If he had planned this day out accurately in his head, it would look like nothing changed. If he followed his own plan and stuffed that hanger to the back of his shallow closet and substituted it for a casual but decent outfit … he might just pass for a college student.

 

From there, he might just be able to go visit Changbin at school.

 

He nibbled on his lower lip. (Grabbing his keys and a booklet of bus passes) The consequences weighed heavily. (Sitting on the bus that goes downtown) He’ll think about that another time.

  
  


Sitting in what felt like his 6000th music history lecture, Changbin felt his phone buzz. Restless and eager for a break, he attempted to slip it out of his pocket - but Chan had seen it all and shot him daggers from the row ahead. Of course the dad of his friend group had followed through with his stereotype in college as well. His messy brown hair fell around his face in loose ringlets, bouncing as he shook his head in disappointment.

 

Even as a _ nearly _ 20 year old man, Changbin still let Chan treat him like his son.

 

His phone sat ignored in the pocket of his cargo pants, buzzing only once more in an attempt to bring attention to itself before falling silent. 

 

**10:18 AM ; HYUNJIN**

 

_ i hope you like pudding in your bubble tea!!! :3 _

 

(He does, but that’s besides the point.)

  
  


Changbin bobbed and weaved his way through the small crowd of music students, narrowly avoiding a painful run-in with the neck of an acoustic guitar that swung his way. He had forgotten to update his calendar to remind him that he had a recording session with Chan and another production major that morning. It was a big deal to get a free space in the studio, especially with all the Justin Bieber wannabes littered throughout the campus, there weren’t a whole lot of opportunities to get the whole space to yourself.

 

The reason he was running in the first place, besides the fact he was horribly late, was he forgot his headphones in his dorm room amongst a shit ton of other things he deemed essential to the process of recording. If only his room wasn’t a good 10 minute walk away. 

 

In this case, a 5 minute sprint.

 

In his haste, he barely noticed another body occupying his room. He grabbed his bag and his charger just for good measure, brain fogged and tunnel vision in full swing, and slammed the door shut again.

 

Then, he paused. He furrowed his brow and turned back around to face his door, slowly pushing it back open and taking a hesitant look inside.

 

He startled immediately and gasped, heart racing a mile a minute.

 

Hyunjin smiled, then took a sip from one of the bubble teas he was holding.

 

“What are you doing here? How did you get in?”

 

“Someone downstairs held the door open for me, he was very kind. He said I had a really pretty smile and everything. Also, your door was like completely unlocked by the time I got up here.” Hyunjin replied softly, chewing on a tapioca pearl like it was no big deal that he just basically broke into a university campus that was revered for its high security.

 

Changbin looked down at his watch and felt beads of sweat forming rapidly at his temples. He was so fucking late, but he couldn’t help but be a little excited to see the younger boy. His bag dropped to the floor in a solid thump and he did the same as he walked over to his bed, pulling Hyunjin into a brief but tight hug.

 

“Aren’t you supposed to be in school right now? What are you going to do if the front office calls your mom?”

 

The younger boy’s face fell, and he looked down at his shoes. “I called in sick.” Then.. “Should I leave? Did I come at a bad time?”

 

Besides having his heart already in a puddle on the carpet at the mere sight of Hyunjin, Changbin felt another pang of guilt strike him. Hearing the other boy speak with such an insecure tone made him panic, and the first thing he could think to do in short notice was pull him into another loving hug and reassure him that he did not come at a bad time. Even if that was a bit of a white lie. It calmed Hyunjin down effectively, and in record time he was smiling brightly enough to light the bottom of the ocean. He held out the milky bubble tea towards Changbin. “I know I should’ve waited until we were on a proper holiday, but you are so vague with your plans… it could’ve been six years before we saw each other again.”

 

Taking the tea from him, Changbin frowned.

 

“You’re still in high school, Hyunjinnie. I’m not... It’s not exactly conventional.”

 

“I’m almost 19! Changbin, I thought we talked about thi-”

 

The older set his drink down on his side table and stood up, hands taking their places firmly on his hips. The two of them had discussed this entire situation not too long after they had mutually confessed their feelings, but it still felt like there was some things left up in the air. Hyunjin might be blinded by his idea of Changbin, or the admiration he felt for him - and that often prevented them from actually sitting down and trying to figure out if it was realistic for them to try to start a relationship.

 

Hyunjin watched him curiously from his spot on the bed, one leg crossed over the other and his drink disappearing at an alarming rate. 

 

Finally, he stopped. 

 

“Are you saying I’m too immature for you?”

 

“No! I just-”

 

“ _ Changbin  _ what are you doing? We’re supposed to be in the studio like  _ yesterday _ -” The door opened the rest of the way, smacking recklessly into the wall adjacent to it. Chan stepped in with his headset sitting around his neck, his eyes wide as he saw who else was in there. “Hyunjin! Why are you here? What if someone sees you?”

 

Hyunjin pushed himself up onto his feet and past the others, brushing their shoulders together in the least threatening way possible (very much like him) “Don’t worry, I was just leaving.” 

 

The odd door opened as fellow residents popped their heads out to inspect the ruckus. They were in turn met with the cold stare of a very upset 18 year old who was making a beeline for the elevators. Changbin rushed out after him, smiling apologetically at the passersby.

 

“Hyunjin!” He whisper-yelled, but the younger boy just glared at him over his shoulder and stepped into the empty elevator, smashing his finger against the ‘close door’ button like his life depended on it. “If I get there and those doors close…!”

 

“You’ll what?!” Hyunjin retorted with a shriek, scowling down the hall at the shorter boy. “You’ll ground me? I’m not a baby, Changbin! We are  _ literally _ only seven months apart.”

 

Reaching the doors, Changbin managed to squeeze into the opening, trying his best to ignore the pain associated with having the doors closing on his shoulders every other second. Chan booked it after them, eyes wide and his arms swinging with his frantic movements.

 

“I never said that, but I don’t want people to think bad things about us.. like I’m taking advantage of you.”

 

“Let the doors close, Changbin.”

“What..? No I-” Then he was being pulled into the elevator wholly and the two of them were whisked away from prying eyes. Hyunjin wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his jumper, more specifically, the jumper Changbin had bought him at Christmas. “I really like you.” The taller said quietly to the wall beside him, and he looked a little embarrassed but confident in his choice of words. “I still really do.”

 

“I really like you too.” Changbin kicked his foot out slightly, scuffing the very tip of his shoe against the rough flooring. “Like, a lot.”

 

Hyunjin sniffed and glanced over at him, noticing how their height difference was slowly evening out. He let his hand hang between them, and Changbin met him the rest of the way and linked their shaking fingers together. 

 

“Like, I want to be with you really bad but I’m scared we’ll never get to see each other.”

 

“Oh, was that was this was about, then?”

 

Changbin nods slowly, and Hyunjin just grins at him - eyes still a little glossy from crying earlier. 

 

“Well then ... let’s figure something out.”

 

-

 

The doors open on the 4th floor and an unsuspecting staff member is presented with the sight of the current occupants sharing the world’s most love-filled kiss they’ve ever bared eyewitness to. 

 

It’s safe to say that they didn’t even notice the elevator had stopped, so the stranger just let the doors fall shut and elected to wait for the next available lift.


End file.
